Look out blind spot!

Success in business, and life, is dependent on many factors but, in my experience, the one absolute is a need for someone to walk with us on our journey.

I seriously used to believe I could do it all on my own, then wonder why it was SO challenging to reach my goals. I told myself I was a loner; I worked best on my own, but this was simply an excuse for my inability to see what was really going on.

A vital ingredient for success is being to self-reflect, but often we fail to observe the blind spots that either sabotage, or limit us from peak learning.

I love the saying, ‘how do you know what you don’t know, until you do know’ because it’s a fact. You can blindly blunder on for many years, wondering why you aren’t achieving your ultimate goals.

Blind spots suck – but they are also potentially brilliant nuggets of growth.

I speak from experience on this subject because I had a rather large blind spot. Despite years of trying to rise above a certain level, I kept being pushed back. It was exhausting! Then, one day, a great friend said to me, ‘Jan, do you realise that you are repeating this pattern (of behaviour) over and over?’

The second he said it, I was floored with the realisation he was right. I had repeated this pattern for most, if not all, of my adult life. I hadn’t appreciated the enormity of the issue. Now, my brain replayed memories of every instance where this blind spot had railroaded me.

For a week or so, I felt as if I had been hit with a sledgehammer. Initially, there was a level of grieving for wasted opportunities. I found it hard to get out of bed and, for a week, I chose to be nice to myself, to be kind and let it be okay that I was foundering beneath the blankets and eating too much chocolate!

I am great believer that order comes from chaos, so, once my mind had accepted the wasted years, I felt a great spring of energy coiling up within me, preparing me to set forth onto virgin territory.

Suddenly, everything seemed possible, my mind released from the deeply embedded thought patterns forever. There was no hiding now; the blind spot was exposed, never to influence me in the same way EVER again.

I’ve never had a problem spotting blind spots owned by others. But, that’s the point isn't it? We can ALL see them in other people, but it is almost impossible to see your own. So, you benefit from someone working with you, to help re-calibrate at every step, identifying flawed thinking and unhelpful behaviour.

 It’s a bit like tuning an engine. A qualified engineer can hear when an engine isn’t running quite tip top. Sounds okay to us, but he hears, and feels, every nuance as he tweaks the engine to peak performance.

Every one of us has a blueprint for success, an operating manual for life if you like. Unfortunately, for many, the blueprint is a little ‘off’ and just needs a smidgen of reflective feedback, to readjust, remodel and start firing on all cylinders, aligning the rockets of desire with action and reality.

This one thing often proves to be life changing for my clients – and it doesn’t take a lot. If you need a laser focused coach, who will fight for your goals, challenge your long held thoughts and not accept excuses, then I’m your girl. Been there, got the video and T-shirt and passionate about giving back. Let’s talk!